I watched the Ryder Cup over the weekend and from the Day 1 performance of the USA team I had a feeling it was going to go the way of the Europeans. They just looked too stiff and tense while their European counterparts were all smiles...pumped up and enjoying themselves. Of course, it helped a lot that they were on home ground,but so were the Americans last time around,and yet they lost!
So in spite of all the talent in the USA side (Tiger Woods #1, Phil Mickelson #2, Jim Furyk#3) they couldn't muster enough points to win back the trophy that has been in Europe's hands for the last three outings. This, too,in spite of the preparations Tom Lehman did to make sure he had a "team."
From my standpoint,what Team USA lacked was passion! They didn't seem to want to win! They seemed to be just going through the motions and were not putting up enough good golf to really give the Europeans a real challenge.
Maybe if there were just enough money at stake in winning the cup...then maybe the Americans might have been motivated enough! Ha!
Anyway, that's golf for you.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
THE VIEW FROM MY WINDOW:AN INDESCRIBABLE LOSS
Once again,I looked out my window this Monday morning and observed parents as they brought their sons to the entrance gate of Lourdes School. I noticed a familiar pattern of behavior...more like a ritual...,and one which I performed every morning when I used to bring my own two sons to the same school.
After bringing the kid to the gate,there would be this last words of advice (or admonition),then a kiss and finally, a lingering look, as the parent watched his or her son disappear into the crowd of boys. Only then would the parent move on.
It's that lingering look that caught my attention this morning. Why did we parents instinctively do this? We knew our kids were safe, after all we personally accompanied them to the gate. And yet after we let them go,we just would stand there and watch.Perhaps we also knew instinctively that our kids would glance back and check us out and give us a last goodbye wave.
Or maybe it was because for a brief moment,we would be amazed at how our kids had grown!
Whatever the reason for lingering, I'm sure when each of us parents looked at our sons we were looking at them with love.
And that's why I guess, not being able to ever see them alive would be the worst feeling any parent would have to bear in his or her lifetime.
One of my former classmates from Grade school is going through this right now. He lost his son and to make matters worse,he wasn't able to be around for his funeral.
The indescribable feeling of loss was best pictured by another former classmate, Sonny Hernandez, when he pointed out that we had terms for a husband who loses his wife (widower),or for a wife whose husband dies (widow.) A kid who loses his parents is called an orphan.
But a parent who loses a child...there are no words to describe this...just a s no words will probably be able to describe the loss.
After bringing the kid to the gate,there would be this last words of advice (or admonition),then a kiss and finally, a lingering look, as the parent watched his or her son disappear into the crowd of boys. Only then would the parent move on.
It's that lingering look that caught my attention this morning. Why did we parents instinctively do this? We knew our kids were safe, after all we personally accompanied them to the gate. And yet after we let them go,we just would stand there and watch.Perhaps we also knew instinctively that our kids would glance back and check us out and give us a last goodbye wave.
Or maybe it was because for a brief moment,we would be amazed at how our kids had grown!
Whatever the reason for lingering, I'm sure when each of us parents looked at our sons we were looking at them with love.
And that's why I guess, not being able to ever see them alive would be the worst feeling any parent would have to bear in his or her lifetime.
One of my former classmates from Grade school is going through this right now. He lost his son and to make matters worse,he wasn't able to be around for his funeral.
The indescribable feeling of loss was best pictured by another former classmate, Sonny Hernandez, when he pointed out that we had terms for a husband who loses his wife (widower),or for a wife whose husband dies (widow.) A kid who loses his parents is called an orphan.
But a parent who loses a child...there are no words to describe this...just a s no words will probably be able to describe the loss.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sunday, September 03, 2006
The View from my Window: Father and Son
This morning as I watched the students of Lourdes school being accompanied by their parents to the gate, I noticed this dad and his kid in particular because from the way dad behaved you could tell his kid was special!
For one, he was lugging the kid's trolley bag even though I thought the boy was big enough to do it on his own. While they were walking towards the gate he was talking to him as if going through a checklist of things. I could just see it now:"Oh, do you have your handkerchief?Your assignment was it done na?"...and so on.
When they finally reached the gate,doting dad didn't just kiss son goodbye and saw him off. He bent down,cupped his son's face, said some words before kissing him. Then...and this is what got me...he lingered for a while making sure his son was safely in. Then as if this was not enough he went behind the sign on the gate and spent some seconds playing peek-a-boo with his son before waving goodbye.
He hurried back and luckily he did, because some traffic aides on patrol were looking his car over because he seemed to be blocking traffic. After some explanation he was let off.
It was a great sight because it's something I did when TJ and James were still small(although not as mushy as doting dad). I kind of miss this but am also thankful that I also gave my own sons some memorable mornings by going through these rituals.
For one, he was lugging the kid's trolley bag even though I thought the boy was big enough to do it on his own. While they were walking towards the gate he was talking to him as if going through a checklist of things. I could just see it now:"Oh, do you have your handkerchief?Your assignment was it done na?"...and so on.
When they finally reached the gate,doting dad didn't just kiss son goodbye and saw him off. He bent down,cupped his son's face, said some words before kissing him. Then...and this is what got me...he lingered for a while making sure his son was safely in. Then as if this was not enough he went behind the sign on the gate and spent some seconds playing peek-a-boo with his son before waving goodbye.
He hurried back and luckily he did, because some traffic aides on patrol were looking his car over because he seemed to be blocking traffic. After some explanation he was let off.
It was a great sight because it's something I did when TJ and James were still small(although not as mushy as doting dad). I kind of miss this but am also thankful that I also gave my own sons some memorable mornings by going through these rituals.
The SWAN and a NatGeo special on Wolves
TJ and I watched a portion of the SWAN finals last Saturday. We were really amazed at what cosmetic surgery can do to transform these once Ugly Ducklings to jaw dropping bombshells! What I noticed though was that those with really good features to start with really looked good after their treatments and with very little alterations too.
It was also sad to note that those who were blessed with good looks to begin with didn't really take good care of themselves...especially their self-esteem...hence their deterioration into Ugly Ducklings.
I also managed to catch a feature by NatGeo on wolves. One interesting scene showed a pack of wolves that had trapped a male elk. The narrator said that strangely enough if elk didn't run their chances of surviving increased and I could see why. Although the wolves had their prey cornered they couldn't get near it because one swipe of the antlers could kill or maim them. If the elk had run it would just get tired and make easy pickings for the wolves.
Another scene showed some elk actually prancing confidently even if the wolves were near. It was sort of a risky bluff to the wolves,showing them that they could outrun them if they dared chase them. Unfortunately for one, the wolves called the bluff and dragged her down.
Wolves and bears,it turns out, are mortal enemies too. There was a scene were a mother bear and her cub were surrounded by a pack. The wolves kept a safe distance because the bear could easily break their backs with its claws. However,mama bear couldn't distance itself too far from its cub so it just fended off the wolves until they realized they were going nowhere and gave up.
It was also sad to note that those who were blessed with good looks to begin with didn't really take good care of themselves...especially their self-esteem...hence their deterioration into Ugly Ducklings.
I also managed to catch a feature by NatGeo on wolves. One interesting scene showed a pack of wolves that had trapped a male elk. The narrator said that strangely enough if elk didn't run their chances of surviving increased and I could see why. Although the wolves had their prey cornered they couldn't get near it because one swipe of the antlers could kill or maim them. If the elk had run it would just get tired and make easy pickings for the wolves.
Another scene showed some elk actually prancing confidently even if the wolves were near. It was sort of a risky bluff to the wolves,showing them that they could outrun them if they dared chase them. Unfortunately for one, the wolves called the bluff and dragged her down.
Wolves and bears,it turns out, are mortal enemies too. There was a scene were a mother bear and her cub were surrounded by a pack. The wolves kept a safe distance because the bear could easily break their backs with its claws. However,mama bear couldn't distance itself too far from its cub so it just fended off the wolves until they realized they were going nowhere and gave up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)